Badalte jazbaat ke baad sab kuch dheere-dheere badalne laga tha।
Riya ab bhi same thi… par uske aas-paas sab kuch alag lagne laga tha। Class me wo pehle jaise hi baithti thi, par uski nazar aksar Aman ko dhoondhti rehti।
Aur Aman…
Wo pehle jaisa nahi raha tha।
Pehle wo bina wajah baat karta, hasi mazaak karta, par ab wo chup rehne laga tha। Kabhi-kabhi to wo Riya ki taraf dekhta bhi nahi tha।
Riya ko samajh nahi aa raha tha ki aakhir hua kya hai।
Neem ke ped ke neeche ab wo dono saath kam hi baithte the।
Ek din Riya wahan akeli baithi thi। Hawa halki si chal rahi thi, par uske dil me ek ajeeb si bechaini thi।
"Kya maine kuch galat kiya?" usne khud se poocha।
Usne apni diary nikali aur likhne lagi—
"Kabhi-kabhi sab kuch theek hote hue bhi theek nahi lagta… shayad isliye kyunki kisi ek insaan ki kami mehsoos hoti hai."
Usne diary band ki aur aasman ki taraf dekha।
Dusri taraf Aman bhi khud se lad raha tha।
Usne Kabir aur Riya ko saath baat karte dekha tha… aur tab se uske andar ek ajeeb si feeling thi।
"Mujhe kyun farq pad raha hai?"
Usne khud se poocha।
"Wo meri friend hai… bas friend."
Par uska dil is baat ko maan nahi raha tha।
Agle din class me group project announce hua।
Teacher ne kaha,
"Sab apne groups bana lo।"
Students turant groups banane lage।
Kabir ne Riya ki taraf dekhkar kaha,
"Riya, hum ek group me kaam karein?"
Riya thodi si hesitate hui… phir boli,
"Haan, theek hai।"
Aman ne ye sab dekha… par kuch nahi bola।
Wo chup-chaap dusre group me chala gaya।
Project ke dino me Riya aur Kabir zyada time saath spend karne lage।
Wo library me baithte, discuss karte… kabhi-kabhi hans bhi dete।
Riya ko lagta tha sab normal hai… par dil ke kisi kone me Aman ki kami mehsoos hoti thi।
Ek din usne himmat karke Aman ke paas jaakar poocha—
"Aman, tum mujhse baat kyun nahi kar rahe?"
Aman ne bina uski taraf dekhe kaha,
"Main baat kar raha hoon… bas thoda busy hoon।"
Riya ne dheere se kaha,
"Tum pehle jaise nahi ho…"
Aman ne thoda rukkar kaha,
"Log badal jaate hain, Riya."
Yeh sunte hi Riya ka dil halka sa toot gaya।
Us raat Riya so nahi paayi।
Uske dimaag me Aman ki baat baar-baar aa rahi thi—
"Log badal jaate hain…"
Usne aankhen band ki… par aansu ruk nahi paaye।
Agle din…
Riya phir neem ke ped ke neeche baithi thi।
Aaj Aman wahan aaya।
Kuch pal dono chup rahe।
Phir Riya ne dheere se kaha—
"Aman… kya humari dosti khatam ho rahi hai?"
Aman ne uski taraf dekha।
Uski aankhon me dard tha… par shabd nahi।
"Pata nahi…" usne dheere se kaha।
Riya ki aankhon me aansu aa gaye।
"Par mujhe ye sab achha nahi lag raha," usne kaha।
Aman kuch bol nahi paaya।
Uske dil me bahut kuch tha… par wo keh nahi pa raha tha।
Us pal dono ke beech ek ajeeb si doori aa gayi thi—
👉 Jo nazar nahi aa rahi thi
👉 Par mehsoos ho rahi thi
Riya dheere se uthkar wahan se chali gayi।
Aman wahi baitha raha…
Uski nazar us jagah par thi jahan Riya baithi thi।
"Kya main use kho raha hoon?"
Usne dheere se khud se poocha।
"Kabhi-kabhi dooriyan bina kisi wajah ke badh jaati hain… par kya unhe wapas kam kiya ja sakta hai?"